FOXBORO — Not that he needed much reminding, but while he watched rookies Michael Buchanan and Steve Beauharnais combine for a strip sack and fumble recovery in the Patriots' final preseason game against the Giants, defensive end Chandler Jones couldn't help but think back to a similar play he and fellow first-round draft pick Dont'a Hightower teamed up on in their first real NFL game last season.

Against the Titans in the 2012 opener, Jones flew in from the edge and knocked the ball away from Tennessee quarterback Jake Locker. Hightower picked the ball up at the 6-yard line and ran it in for the Patriots' first touchdown of the season.

"I pulled Michael aside after the Giants game and said, 'You know, my first NFL game that happened for a touchdown with Dont'a,'" Jones said. "He said, 'Really?' I went and showed him the clip just to kind of compare."

It wasn't so surprising that Jones, the 21st overall pick in the 2012 draft, and Hightower, the 25th, made immediate impacts as rookies. Injuries slowed both of them later in the season, but if what coach Bill Belichick always says is true — that players make the biggest jump from year one to year two — then look out.

"The sky's the limit for both of them," veteran defensive tackle Tommy Kelly said. "Both of them got unlimited talent — Chandler as a pass rusher and Dont'a can do anything, play mike, play outside linebacker. He's very versatile. They just got to keep working and don't get a big head, and they'll be just fine."

In today's opener at Buffalo, Jones will go against his former coach at Syracuse University, Doug Marrone, who now coaches the Bills. With a solid season and strong training camp behind him, Jones seems ready to take the next step in 2013.

"I wouldn't use the word 'comfortable' in my description of the season," Jones said. "I feel more confident, and that confidence comes from experience. Coming into year two, my second year in the NFL, just seeing certain things and going against certain guys. Like this week, the Bills. Last year we played them twice, so this is my third time playing them. There's more of a confidence level."

The 6-foot-5, 265-pound Jones had six sacks in his first eight games, but none the rest of the way. He missed two games because of an ankle injury. Playing on the opposite end of Rob Ninkovich, who led the team with eight sacks last year, Jones this season is expected to further bolster the Pats' pass rush, which has lacked in recent seasons.

With hopes so high for him, numerous pundits are pegging Jones for a double-digit sack season. Jones and Ninkovich combined for 23 quarterback hits last year.

"He's a big, tall guy, and I wouldn't say I'm undersized because I weigh the same," said the 6-2 Ninkovich, "but I'm a lower leverage guy. He's more of a speed guy. I'm more of a technical person, so I think us working together, we're going to be a good defensive end combo. We just have to make sure we do our job."

Jones' arm length of 35˝ inches is an asset in disrupting quarterbacks. "Certainly, playing with that length the right way can help him," Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia said.

During the offseason, Jones added some muscle and, to improve his hand speed, incorporated boxing into his training.

Jones originally was supposed to train with his brother, UFC star Jon "Bones" Jones, but Jon was preparing for a championship fight in Albuquerque, N.M., so Chandler stayed local and worked out at a gym in Providence.

"If you can get your hands to your target quicker, you can shed your blockers," Jones said, "so that's how you make a play."

The Patriots traded up to draft Jones, who was a two-time All-Big East selection at Syracuse. Jones and Marrone didn't talk leading up to today's game, but they've kept tabs on each other.

"Obviously, we were very proud of Chandler at Syracuse," Marrone said, "and I'm very proud of him now. I've seen him get better and better. I've seen him really step it up and really be a good professional. He's one heck of a football player, and we're going to have our hands full with him."

Ninkovich was one of the first to welcome Jones to the Patriots, and this year the very personable Jones went out of his way to do the same for the 2013 rookies, watching film with Buchanan, Jamie Collins and others, encouraging them and taking on more of a leadership role.

"I know how I was when I walked in here," Jones said. "I kind of poked around, kind of tried to feel my way through, so I'm like, 'Hey, (I'm) Chandler. Pleasure to have you on the team.' Things like that. I just want to make them feel comfortable."

Hightower has the ball from last year's big play. Jones has the memory and another one from before his first regular-season game at Gillette Stadium.

"I remember we were getting ready to come out of the helmet," Jones said. "I was a little bit nervous. I remember Gronk came up to me, and he said, 'I go against you every day in practice, and you're good,' and I'm like, 'Wow. Rob Gronkowski is telling me that.'

"It was a confidence booster. It helped me, and I told him that the other day."